Grow On You
Chapter 1 - The Hunt Begins
Sounds of rushed footfalls passed by her hiding place and Hilda slowly expelled the breath she had been holding. It wasn't easy shaking off the Sniffers with their dogs, but she wasn't trained to be a royal guard for nothing. For the first time in her life, she found herself using every bit of knowledge she knew to go around every bit of security she had helped set up.
Useless, she thought. All those years of making sure the army is well-trained comes down to this - a manhunt. For her.
The bundle in her arms remained oblivious to all, sleeping soundly. She took a moment to adjust her hold on the baby, making sure her dagger was within easy access. Hilda was never one to strike first, but extreme situations called for extreme measures. They would expect her to be rational. They would expect her to not draw a weapon before explaining herself. They wouldn't be expecting her to do the exact opposite, because that's just not her.
"Being predictable has its advantages afterall," She managed a wry smile. Who would believe that after seven loyal years of serving the King and Queen and given trust to protect the youngest Prince, she would suddenly run away with him? Not her. Not Hilda. But she had to. It was necessary, because she had to protect him.
But first, she had to get out of the kingdom. Making sure that the coast is clear, she muttered a chant and then noiselessly slipped out of the tree trunk she had been hiding in. She had limited magic at her disposal and they knew that, but nobody knew she could phase into and out of solid matter. Silence in all directions; that meant those bastards who were after her had gone.
No, she corrected herself as she stared at the sleeping baby; they're not after me. They're after him.
"Milady," A large, heavyset man appeared next to her. "I have secured an Akbaba nearby. Let us make haste now before they come here again."
She nodded and allowed the man to lead her to a small clearing where a large bird was tethered to a tree. The insignia emblazoned on its saddle was the Zebub Royal Crest, which indicated it was a military bird. That meant it would obey orders. Good. "Rise," Hilda commanded and the bird got to its feet. She then mounted the bird and looked at her companion. "Provide cover while I escape, Alain Delon."
"Yes, milady," Alain Delon bowed and shapeshifted into her before sprinting into the undergrowth.
As the Akbaba took flight she mentally calculated that it would be at least an hour before they realize that she had left the country, but that was enough.
"I will find a Channeler for you, Young Master," She said aloud as she kissed the sleeping prince's forehead. "This Hilda will not stop until you are back in the royal palace where you belong."
"She escaped?"
Yolda knelt before her master, silently seething for letting Hilda slip through her grasp. Her twin sister had proven time and time again that she could be obstinate when she decided to be, and not even the whole of the Pillar Squad could capture her. "Lord En, they have Alain Delon with them. He led our men on a wild goose chase while Hilda escaped on an Akbaba."
Lord En, a boy barely in his teens let out a growl of anger. Outside, thunder echoed his sentiments and Yolda sneaked a glare at Isabella. She took the hint and stepped up. "Lord En, if I may… now that Prince Belze is gone, wouldn't it be better to concentrate on getting into the King's good graces? When he returns from his campaign you should portray yourself as a caring brother who did everything you could to detain the traitor from running off with the little prince."
"What traitor?" Lord En growled and Sachura giggled. "Why, Hilda of course! That terrible woman took the opportunity when the King and Queen are away and ran off with the baby prince to goodness-knows-where. You sent your personal squad to find them, but alas," Sachura sighed dramatically. "Tragic, isn't it?"
Realization dawned on the boy and he began to laugh. And laugh. And laugh. And then; "Salamander!"
A fair-haired man materialized in the throne room and bowed. "You summoned me, Lord En?"
"That curse of yours, can it really not be broken?" Lord En leaned forward expectantly and Salamander took a moment to compose his answer.
"My lord, no curse is unbreakable. However to break the sleep curse on Prince Beelzebub, he must find a Channeler compatible with his power wavelength. And we all know that is quite impossible – every Channeler in the kingdom has gone through the ritual and not one managed to synchronize with him."
"What if Hilda tried to find a Channeler outside the kingdom?" Sachura questioned mildly. "It's possible that someone out there can be a Channeler, right?"
"The possibility is very small," Salamander smiled. "She would need to have the devil's luck to find that one particular Channeler before any of my men can find her."
"That's fine then," Yolda smirked. "Because if it's one thing Hilda doesn't believe in, it's luck."
A/N: And it begins. If you like it, do drop me a line and tell me what you think!